


What do they see?

by Northoftheroad



Series: Bat dialogues [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 14:29:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11922852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northoftheroad/pseuds/Northoftheroad
Summary: Dick has had it up to here with every lowlife trying to recruit him to The Dark Side. Crossposted at ff.net.





	What do they see?

”Dick?”  
”Hm?”  
”You’re awfully quiet, for being you.”  
”Mh.”  
”Care to tell me what’s bothering you?”  
”Mh-h.”  
”…”  
”…”  
”Come on, chum; you know you’re going to talk. Why not do it sooner rather than later? We need to get ready for tonight’s party, and you know how Alfred gives us pointed looks when we’re late. They are the model for the Bat-glare, after all.”  
”Mm…”  
”…Dick…”  
”It’s just – I must have lost track of everyone who thinks that I would make a great addition to The Dark Side. Slade, Doctor Hurt, Raptor, Court of Owls, that creepy Owlman… Penguin put that mind-control gas mask on me; to make me more efficient when I felt no remorse. Shrike thought that I fit right into his little Vengeance Academy, Lady Shiva said I squander my ”natural talents” and that I can be ”much more”; trust me, she didn’t mean it as a compliment on my life choices. In Spyral, they just waited for me to learn the lesson, like a good little spy, and take the shot. Damn it, even Jason tried to recruit me to go on a rampage, when he was at his lowest!”  
”Hh. Don’t forget the Robin gang…”  
”… You’re not helping, Bruce!”  
”Sorry. I thought you wanted to be thorough. Please continue.”  
”I just… I just can’t help wondering – what do they see that I don’t? Perhaps I really was made out to be a killer, and I’m just to stupid to see it, you know? I don’t believe in destiny, that you’re born to be something or the other, really I don’t. But sometimes it feels like I'm a minority of one who thinks I'm doing what I should be doing. Like everyone else just sees a potential killer. That one day I will be tricked, or persuaded, or loose my patience, or just simply see the ’dark light’ and see it their way.”  
”Come now, Dick, you know better than that. They’re jealous, that’s all there is to it. They know talent when they see it and want to use it to their own ends. If they knew you like I do they wouldn’t waste their time. And you know very well that you are not alone in knowing that you’re in the right place. If anyone was destined to help others, it’s you.”  
”… Thanks, Bruce. I guess I just needed to hear it, in another voice than my own.”  
”Any time, chum.”  
”Guess I’d better make myself ready for tonight’s performance. Who knows, there might be some corrupt corporate mogul who would just love to recruit me for some shady arms smuggling deal, huh? I would feel right at home.”  
”You know, Dick, talking about performances…This might not be the best time to bring it up, but I really need someone to go undercover in this new gang that’s moving into Gotham…”


End file.
